FC Barcelona vs Hospitalet: Nine goal thriller (9-0)

Pedro, Iniesta, Thiago (2), Xavi, Tello (2) and Cuenca (2), racked up nine goals – five before the break- as Barça charged into the last 16 of the Spanish Cup in the last game of 2011 at the Camp Nou.

Roger Bogunyà

December 23, 2011 01:36 AM

Barcelona (FCB). Barça secured their place in the next round of the Spanish Cup with a tremendous 9-0 rout of Hospitalet, with Pedro opening the scoring on 10 minutes and  Iniesta, Thiago (2), Xavi, Tello (2) and Cuenca getting the rest. The victory, added to the 0-1 win at Hospitalet was only overshadowed by an injury to Iniesta, who will now be out for the next 15 days.


FC Barcelona go into the next round, alongside Valencia, Mallorca, Espanyol, Seville, Real Madrid, Malaga, Llevant, Osasuna, Real Sociedad, Racing, Athletic Club, Albacete, Alcorcón, Mirandés and Cordoba.

Stunning start

Josep Guardiola fielded 10 home grown players, only Pinto had not come up through the academy system, and the team showed how serious they were about the game from the off, going 3-0 up within the first 22 minutes: the first was a Pedro penalty, the next an Iniesta effort after Xavi had brilliantly put Cesc Fàbregas through and the third a lovely goal from Thiago after he won back a ball in midfield and shimmied through the visitors’’ defence.

Five in the first half


By half time it was five, but also by then Iniesta had had to call for a substitution after he’d knocked into the Hospitalet keeper and tests later revealed he’d be out for up to 15 days. He was replaced by Sergi Roberto, who came close to making it four almost immediately, but in the end it was Xavi who did just that, rounding off a lovely reverse pass from Cesc. And that was that for the Catalan midfielder who soon after his goal was replaced by Tello, who then went on to make it five, charging through from the midfield just a couple of minutes after coming on.

Cuenca claims the sixth

The 56.480 fans who had turned up at the Camp Nou were no doubt wondering just how many goals their team were going to end up putting past Hospitalet and soon after the break, Cuenca made it a half dozen, finishing off some great work from Tello out on the left. Curiously enough the Barça attack was made up of three conventional wingers now -Tello, Pedro and Cuenca.

Thiago, Tello and Cuenca make it nine


However, the team weren’t prepared to settle for six! Thiago was brought down by Viale and again handed penalty taking duties to Pedro , whilst Tello scored his second soon after to make it 8-0. Could Barça now beat their 8-0 win over Osasuna? Well yes, of course - Cuenca got his second latching on to yet another great ball form Cesc and the players wrapped up a great night and an even greater 2011 with a stunning nine goal haul – here’s to a Happy New Year!